This book is aimed at an younger audience so I didn't know what to expect. I was expecting a adventurous journey with simple narration I guess. But damn the author has done a wonderful job with the depictions. While I was reading it, I kept feeling very nostalgic. The magical world, hidden secrets and all were very well portrayed. The characters are realistic and heartfelt. It doesn't matter how old you are, you will enjoy reading this. Only complain I have is that it starts real slow. Which I guess is important for the younger audience but as an adult, I wasn't that satisfied with the pace in the beginning.

I received this book from @storiesuntoldpress to read and write and honest review.
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This book gives me tons of Harry Potter feels with a twist of Shadowhunters and Snow White! If you love those magical world this a YA book/series to read!
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I am huge fan of magical worlds and all things fantasy that are only in our imagination. This is definitely a good YA book for ones who enjoy magical/fantasy world with a lead female character.
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The story follows Ivy who has grown up hidden away, separating the mundane world from the magical world. She is always known as the slurry girl who wants nothing more than to be a scrivenist. Soon she finds herself welcomed to the Halls of Ivy where student learn to master their magical abilities. Many things happen during first year at school and soon secrets begin to unveil themselves and the truth comes out.
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The magical world was truly wonderful learning about everything. Learning about the school, creatures and each students abilities was amazing. There were many secrets throughout the book. Since the beginning each secret that was unearthed kept leading to more that was behind the truth of who Ivy really is! I had my guesses about who she was but was shocked at the ending of her true self. The ending left me wanting more and needing to find o what’s going to happen. Looks like I’ll be continuing the series!
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Some parts were a little confusing towards the end when bouncing around in the final chapters. I was able to pick up on it but not knowing the background of the world of Croswald made it harder at times. I definitely would like to see a prequel or a novella of the world of Croswald and all its magic beforehand.
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Overall, it is a good YA story that gets you engrossed in the magical world of Croswald and the life of Ivy Lovely.

YAAYY LOOK WHO READ A FANTASY NOVEl AFTER AGES AND LOVED IT!!!
The Crowns of Croswald was so good. It was a package of some of my favorite things in books : A magical school (major HP vibes) , an inspiring & strong female lead and an engaging storyline.
The characters in the were really interesting to read about. I specially loved seeing Ivy's character development throughout the book. The mystery and fantasy elements were really well written as well.
The author's writing style is quite descriptive, so it might take some time for others to get used to it, but it worked fine for me. Overall, this was a really fascinating read. Can't wait to pick up the next books in the series! 😄
Thanks to the author @author.denight and the publisher for sending me a free review copy. 💗

The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night was a wonderful book and I really enjoyed reading it! I loved the characters and the magic system so much and the last five chapters were my favorite part. In the book, Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind a border that hides magic, but when she's invited to attend the Halls of Ivy, a prestigious magic school, she crosses the border and she unlocks her powers. As she adjusts to her new life as a student at the Halls of Ivy, she gets caught up in a dangerous mystery and Ivy soon finds herself scrambling to find all the answers before it's too late. The first third of the book didn't really click with me, but after that I found myself enjoying the story and I found it really intriguing so I'm defintely going to read the next books in the series! My actual rating is 4.6 stars out of 5. Thank you to NetGalley and Stories Untold for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Crowns of Croswald by D. E. Night- 3.5 stars
Summary: Ivy Lovely has spent her days as a servant but leaves her home and goes to the Halls of Ivy, a school for royals and squinches (people with magical blood). Strange things happen as Ivy embarks on this adventure and she starts investigating her past and the other odd events around her.
Setting: The worldbuilding in this book is a treat! It gives off a whimsical and wondrous vibe, reminding me of Studio Ghibli movies like Kiki’s Delivery Service. The cover is gorgeous and set the scene even before reading. The facets of the magic system were interesting, but I wish I could see more of the magic in a typical setting to better understand them. (And possibly a glossary to remember all the unique names for different people, potions, animals, and spells).
Plot: I struggled to get into the book at first- but once I got to the second half, the events seemed much more relevant and interesting. The plot is a bit convoluted, and there are problems that I think were resolved too easily for the characters, but I was continually looking forward to what would happen next.
Characters: There are quite a few interesting characters in the book that I couldn’t get enough of- Fyn and Rebecca, Ivy’s friends, have great personalities. I had trouble connecting to Ivy, the main character. I felt like she was a bit of a Mary Sue and didn’t exercise a whole lot of agency throughout the story.
TL;DR- Overall, I enjoyed this story! There are several things that I think could be better, and the first half was hard to get through because I didn’t feel like I could root for Ivy, and because the events didn’t seem significant. However, by the end, my opinion of the story improved, and I would consider reading the second book. I think it’s a fun read, and many middle-grade readers would enjoy the unique worldbuilding and magic system, as well as the enjoyable people and adventurous plot.

This review is also on my Instagram, @astudyinstories, as well as Goodreads and Amazon.

I enjoyed this book. It is similar to Harry Potter—unsuspecting child finds out they have magic powers, goes to magic school escaping their dull life, something dark threatens their safety, the main character must work with other classmates to discover what is going on. I could see having this book in my classroom especially for students who love a magical world (or want to read Harry Potter and aren’t quite ready). It’s worth the read!

I received a copy of this book through netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review. So, let me tell you about this charming little book!

The Crowns of Croswald paints a picture of a society full of magic and mystery. We meet our protagonist when she is a kitchen maid, before she begins her hero's journey arc. Eventually she gets to leave her servitude and be educated at a school of magic.

This story had very strong Harry Potter vibes to it. In fact, many of the important plot points are virtually the same. However, the world-building was different and I did enjoy the fact that we had a female protagonist. Like many school stories, she has a group of friends and they have to work together to fight evil and discover their true powers.

This is a fun universe D.E. Night has built, and I'm so very pleased to hear that there are more in the series. I would recommend this book for middle grade readers on up who enjoy fantasy, magic, and school stories.

Thank you Net Galley and D.E. Night for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For fans of Harry Potter or Charlie Bone, The Crowns of Croswald is definitely one to add to your TBR! This book is definitely suitable for younger readers - in fact I would label this serious Middle Grade rather than Ya, despite the main character being 16.

Speaking of Ava, her characteristics and mannerisms reminded me greatly of Alice from Alice in Wonderland. Ava has the same naivety and accepting nature, but is an overall likeable character.She's eager to talk to people she doesn't know and very curious for information. She is an protagonist you root for and one you want to follow along with her journey.

There is no denying that D.E. Night is a fantastical writer. She is descriptive, though not overly descriptive, and provides amazing imagery. The only thing I had problems with in this book was the major similarities it had to Harry Potter. I often found myself skimming most of the chapters and not surprised when major plot points happened. Even though this book wasn't for me, I can see the appeal it would have for my students who would greatly enjoy this novel.

3.5 stars! This book is very cute and is the start to a magical journey as it is the first in a series. The story is about an insignificant girl who starts to discover her dark past and realizes there is more to her than she could ever imagine. I enjoyed a lot of the characters in this book, especially Fyn. This is a great book for young readers or if you are looking for an innocent magical adventure. Enjoy!

In a world full of magic, what would you give to be free of chores, boredom and a hopeless future as a kitchen maid?

Hoping to the moon for a chance is Ivy's only way out of a sad, poor life as an orphan in Castle Plum... Or so she thinks! Suddenly she finds herself on her way to the most prestigious magic school of Croswald and living a year full of new experiences, challenges, friends and, of course, magic!!

This installment opens the door for a new fantastic world were the shadow in power lurks behind every corner of the scrivients and royals' school, making curses and forgetfulness be in the core of the mysteries and the future of the young Lovely.

Great for fans of Harry Potter and the Worst Witch saga!

ARC provided free by Netgalley un exchange for an honest review.

I received an ebook from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

I couldn't get into this book. The writing style wasn't working for me. The story sounds great and maybe I'll be able to finish it in the future. I think the author is very comma heavy and added them into each sentence when in reality it could have been reworded to avoid this. The commas kept pulling me out of the story and since that was happening every sentence ... I just became too much and I decided to not finish it this time.

The premise of this world and story pulled me in at the start. It had Harry Potter vibes, but had an interesting approach where dreaming and magic thrives through writing and drawing - the act of creation an embodiment of magic! However, overall, it just didn’t deliver. The main character bolted from one adventure/crisis to another without adequate bridging that would have formed this into a cohesive plot line. Although marketed at a middle grade read, the main character is 16, turning 17, which I feel puts this outside the middle grade category. Also a strange and undeveloped romance of sorts comes into view in the last 25% that just didn’t fit. Ultimately, The Crowns of Croswald couldn’t decide what it wanted to be and this reader couldn’t get fully lost in the story. I might try to complete the series in order to get a grasp on this world that has been created and many others have said that the following books get better.

Escape to a magical world with a cast of intriguing characters in D.E. Night's book, The Crowns of Croswald. I definitely recommend purchasing this book for school libraries.

Thanks for netgalley and Stories Untold for providing me an E-Arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and Stories Untold for a gifted eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For kids too young for the avada kedavra curse, this is a great introduction to the world of magic. There are nods to Harry Potter everywhere, and I enjoyed those little Easter eggs. The writing is simple and the story is easy to follow.

Ivy has her ups and downs, where she can be a bit annoying, but she means well and just wants to know what’s going on, which is fair. Her curiosity is burning and it really drives this story. I liked Ivy’s friends, Fyn and Rebecca, but do wish that we had learned more about them and got to know them better. Ivy seems annoyed by them more often than anything, so I don’t think we really get to see their personalities as much as I would have liked. I loved Winsome and do wish we got to spend a bit more time getting to know him as well. I found Derwin Edgar Night (same initials as the author, which I thought was fun!) the most interesting character in the story and can’t wait to finally learn more about him in the next books!

Towards the end, I couldn’t put the book down, I just needed to know what was happening! I had an idea of what it may be, but wasn’t sure how all of it fit together. The ending was full of excitement and action, and gave us a brief overview of Ivy’s history. There were definitely things I questioned, but they seem to be things that could be answered in the next book🤞🏼Overall, it was an enjoyable read!

An uninspired introduction that lacks all whimsy and wonder. From the characters to the plot, The Crowns of Croswald was a misfire on all levels.

I DNF'ed this book. Here is the reason why in story form:
Once there was a boy named Harry, girl named Ivy who lived in a bad home situation until the day she got a magical letter to a magical school. She then proceeded to go shopping at the magical stores...
It was a bit too similar to Harry Potter at the beginning. Now, I did not read further so I cannot speak for the rest of the book but I would have greatly enjoyed some originality to the story. However, I did like the creatures at the beginning. They were interesting and unique.
Even this story was not for me, I would still encourage you to give it a try as it had a unique writing voice.

Rating: 1 Star
I am not listing contents due to DNF'ing the book.

*I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

Review is scheduled to post to the blog on October 13, 2020.

Thanks to Netgalley and Stories Untold Press for the free Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this action-packed magical fantasy. Ivy grew up a slurry maid, but ends up with a place at the Halls of Ivy, a magical academy. What she doesn’t know, however, is her true heritage. The ending leaves it open for a sequel. The characters are likable, and I found myself sucked in. Hand this to fans of Keeper of the Lost Cities and Harry Potter.

This is a magical middle grade book that has a very Harry Potter feel. The main character, Ivy, is an orphan and works as a maid in the castle. One day she is whisked away to a magical school called The Halls of Ivy where she is told she has magic powers and that she will become a scrivenist (a magical scribe of sorts). Ivy now attends school with other squinches (scrivenists in training) as well as princes and princesses from all over the magical land of Croswald.

This book has a familiar story arch of an orphan child finding out they are something more than they assumed, then they go to a magic school where they are the underdog and always getting into mishaps, only to find out that they have more power than anyone thought, and there is a mystery surrounding their origins. Also, someone evil tries to kill them to gain their power. This book does add some different elements with royalty playing a large role in the story, which is a bit refreshing.

I give this book a 3.5 out of 5. It was a little simple for me in terms of how things played out. There wasn’t as much character and dialogue depth as I would have liked either. But knowing this is a middle grade book, this is written perfectly for a middle school aged person. If I taught middle school, I would definitely recommend this to my students. Overall, it had a good amount of action, but I would have liked the action spread out more. The best part of the book came at the end with a large epic scene. This book is also the first in a series, so I’d be interested to see how the series plays out.

Note: I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Crowns of Croswald is a middlegrade fantasy that sends readers on a fun and whimsical ride. What really sets The Crowns of Croswald appart is the world building. Night has created a unique world rich with magic and oddities that will have readers intrigued. I loved the creativity of the magic system, from the different creatures to the glanageries.

While the prologue drew me into the mystery from the very first line, I found the rest of book less gripping. At times, the writing felt stilted and awkward, particularly in dialogue. This may have been emphasized by the fact that the main character is supposed to be 16, but often acts and speaks as though she is much younger. That being said, this is a middlegrade novel and I think it would have been appropriate for Ivy to have been aged down.

Overall, this book was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to younger audiences.

The Crowns of Croswald follows a story about Ivy, a sixteen year old girl, who enters a magical world and finds her powers unlocked after crossing over the magical barrier. She finds herself at Halls of Ivy, a school where they practice their magic.

The book reminds me a lot of Harry Potter, and has quite a fantastical spin to it. The world building is incredible. I loved reading the details and history of the Croswald universe. I also really liked the idea of the Scrivenists, who wield their power through their quills. The mystery and adventure aspect of the book kept me going and made the book a thrilling read.

Ivy was a fun and exciting protagonist, and a great middle school character. Ivy learns more about her reccurring dreams and how it is connected with her past and Croswald. She does so along with the help of her friends Rebecca and Fyn who are such adorable secondary characters.

The world building is amazing (oops, did I say that already) and gives much potential for the rest of the series!

Definitely recommend to middle-school readers or anyone who loved Harry Potter.